Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Stephenie Meyer created it all. I'm just so grateful she allows us to play around with her characters.
Jacob POV
As Bella leaned into me, Jane appeared next to her, reaching for Bella's hand with a look of dark anticipation on her childlike face. It still made me laugh to think of shy little Bells being so powerful. Sure, she had to have Jane's help, but it was still cool to think about it. The feel of her hand in my fur had calmed us both. My love for her would never die, I knew, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't still get angry about it all on occasion. But I'd also seen the look that passed over Edward's and her face when they looked at each other. Their connection…the rightness of it all…it was something I couldn't fight. I felt drawn to my friend as well; it was like I needed to get to him.
My thoughts covered all that in the amount of time it took for Bella and Jane to bring their combined power to bear on the Romanian forces. Vampires and werewolves began falling to the ground, screaming in agony.
At least seven went down immediately, and others backed away from the stricken victims in fear. It wasn't nearly fast enough. Bella's shield swept outward, and those who had merely been witnessing the unknown force that was torturing their fellows now joined them on the ground, writhing in pain. Even more fled.
Hot Damn! Seth shouted in glee
Leah's observation was a little funnier. Hey, look. It's like cockroaches running when you turn on the light. Anybody have some Vampire-Strength Raid?
I counted thirteen under Bella and Jane's combined spell when Jasper signaled us. This was part of his plan. Even those unaffected by the powerful duo were infused with fear and confusion, undermining any possible counter-attack. They had lost the initiative, and that was just what Jasper wanted. Screams of the tortured echoed throughout the air, bouncing off the walls off the castle. Hisses from the vampires around me mixed with snarls from the werewolves to create a horrendous sound. It was unnerving.
Alec crawled over the edge behind us just as Jasper snarled, "Charge."
Bella was focusing hard on as many of the vamps and werewolves as she could, but I knew it was killing her that she couldn't run straight for Edward. The least I could do was get to him for her.
Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker, I shouted in the linked mind of the pack as I leapt forward into battle.
I heard Leah and Seth's excitement as they split apart. Leah was following Alice, knowing that the tiny vampire would, in fact, follow Jasper towards the most action. Seth…well, the little shit followed Aro. He too wanted to be in the thick of things. We bypassed Marcus and Didyme who stood protectively in front of Bella and Jane. But then out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alec touch Marcus arm. The leader dashed into the fray, leaving his wife with the younger gifted vampire. I had no doubts where he was heading.
Chelsea, Afton, Corin, Heidi, and Santiago ran toward the pile of writhing vampires and werewolves, stopping just short of the first body - where the edge of Bella's shield must have been. I saw the vamp closest to them straighten having been removed from the shield, only to be grabbed by Chelsea and Afton. The loud screeching noise of his dismantling, rising above the already chaotic sounds of war, was music to my ears. I knew that the other three would share in the process of picking the helpless victims off one by one as Jane and Bella released them.
A vampire snatched at me as I darted through the melee in Edward's direction. Barely pausing, I lashed out and bit the arm off my attacker, and kept right on going, ignoring her cry of pain. I could hear Edward speaking to someone, but I still had several foes in front of me, blocking my path. Another challenger appeared before me, but then a pair of massive arms wrapped around the vampire. Emmett laughed in delight as he tore the man's head from his body. Two more attackers ran up to him, and I thought to stop and help, but then the perfect Ms. Rosalie stepped to his side and suddenly the fight was even again. Rosalie's face was fierce; she was pissed. The poor offending vampire had no idea what she was up against. Emmett chuckled as Rosalie slammed into the female and he began playing with the idiotic male. This was all a game to Emmett. He was enjoying himself entirely too much.
Knocking into the clashing bodies as I ran, I moved as fast as I could across the courtyard toward where I'd last seen Edward. Finally, I cleared the last group and saw him. I stumbled at the sight before me. A beige colored werewolf stood with him, protecting his back, while he struggled with a vampire and werewolf. Time stood still as I watched her take on the werewolf that was challenging her.
The earth tilted and settled back within just a moment and heat began to fill me. My whole world came undone and for a moment I felt as if I was drifting before a tunnel formed before my eyes, pulling me toward the girl in front of me…as if I'd been bound by an unbreakable rope and ensnared. My legs bunched, and I jumped at the wolf that had the nerve to touch her.
She was mine!
I felt savage satisfaction when my teeth sank into the muscles of his back and I hear him howl in agony. Using the momentum of my jump, I twisted pulling harshly at him. I heard a satisfying pop before his body went limp. We'd ripped him in half. Pushing the body off of me with my legs, I leapt to my paws and then heard Edward's cry of pain. Fuck!
He was on the ground and the werewolf was attempting to get his teeth around him. The vampire that had been fighting him when I'd run up lay torn in half at his feet. Edward's leg didn't look right, and I saw Aribert, or at least the one I thought was him, heading toward us. He had a fanatic look in his eyes, his gaze solely trained to Edward's face. I realized that the cry of pain had excited him.
The girl turned toward Edward's cry and dropped the top half of the werewolf we'd killed, snarling as she leapt onto the wolf's back. He shook her off, but she landed in a stance over Edward, protecting him. Fearsome snarls ripped out of her mouth and her fur stood on end. She snapped at him in warning.
Rising on my hind legs, I met the werewolf head on. We were a whirlwind of snapping jaws and claws. I worked hard to avoid his jaws while at the same time tearing at his fur. Agony filled me as he clawed at me and he howled in frustration as his fangs found nothing but air. I didn't know if my shapeshifting gene made me immune to the werewolf infection, but I didn't want to find out. I shoved hard at his chest with my paws and he fell over backward, but he twisted and came back at me on all fours.
We slammed into each other again, clawing and snapping in a frenzy. Rage like nothing I had experienced roared through me, and I growled at the thing that threatened my friend and…her. I lunged and tore a huge gash in his right shoulder. The werewolf fell back, twisting to one side and landing back on his paws.
We met again and circled one another. He was assessing my weaknesses as I did his. He was child's play in comparison to my brothers back home. His grey fur was raised across his back in aggression, and he snarled with each breath. I could see blood pouring down his leg from where I'd injured him.
He dove for my legs and I leapt into the air to come down on top of him. He was fast, though; I was only able to tear at his neck a little before he twisted, throwing me. I heard the girl's whine. We were close, but I didn't want her moving from over Edward.
I snapped at his leg and he backed away. Stupid mutt. Before the girl could even react, Edward's arm blurred out and seized his hind leg, tearing it free from his body. As he fell to the ground, his howl of pain rose above the noise of the fighting around us.
Chomp! Chomp! He was mine. I enjoyed tearing him limb from limb.
I leapt to cover Edward as well and looked to the chaos surrounding us. I'd fucking kill anyone who came near us. I breathed a sigh of relief when the girl rested against me, her sides heaving. She faced the opposite direction and the feel of her warm body touching me made my blood race. How could this be happening here…and now? She wasn't even human. Wait, I guess she was as much human as I was. Did it matter? I checked my heart. No, I realized, it didn't.
Mine. Mine. Mine. The words kept echoing through my mind.
So this is what Edward felt for Bella…how she felt for him. Suddenly my whole perspective changed. My love for Bella ran even deeper now, because I understood it for what it was...that of a best friend and companion soul. There was no more hurt and anger. It also deepened my affection for the man that lay suffering below me. How had Edward ever put up with me? I would kill anyone who attempted to take the woman by my side away from me. I just had to figure out how to tell her what she was up against.
I snickered when I heard Edward's soft "Jacob" and felt him place his hand over my front paw. Knowing him, he was doing it in as much thanks, as teasing. My mind was an open door to him, and he would sense my love struck confusion.
Yeah, yeah, I know. You can screw with me later. For now I'm here to save your vampie ass for Bella. Well, well, well, hello Papa and Mama Cullen.
Carlisle and Esme had intercepted Aribert in his ill fated attempt to get to Edward. He'd believed I would lose against the werewolf and had continued his approach, but now a snarling Esme stood between the sadist and his goal, while Carlisle stood opposite, blocking his retreat. The look of surprise and trepidation on his face…I wasn't certain if it was from my win or from the angry vampires that faced him. I was figuring that Carlisle would be more humane, but it seemed I was wrong.
"You tortured my son," he hissed in a voice the likes I'd never heard pass his lips. I actually shuddered at the appearance of this feral Carlisle. Hmm…go Doc.
It was then that Aribert's true nature came through. Finally realizing the danger was in, he made the fatal mistake of turning to run, feinting to the side, then darting in the opposite direction to evade his attackers. It almost worked; Esme followed his initial lunge, but Carlisle had waited out the obvious move and cut off Aribert, smashing him down face first onto the stones of the courtyard. A loud crack echoed around us as Carlisle placed his hands to the man's head and twisted. Esme pulled his legs from his body and Aribert's scream was cut short as Carlisle removed his head from his body.
"I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts," Carlisle murmured, as he stared into Aribert's now twitching eyes.
Carlisle and Esme moved quickly toward us and brushed their hands at my sides. Their clothes were ripped and messy, and I wondered just what or who had delayed them in getting to us.
"Jacob, Ma'am…" Carlisle said with a soft smile to the girl beside me. She had turned to watch as they approached us. I huffed letting her know that it was okay, but I realized she wouldn't be able to understand me.
"Evelina," Edward added, allowing me to hear my imprint's name for the first time.
"Evelina," Carlisle said in his cultured voice. "May I see my son, please?"
"Jacob, get us to the wall," Carlisle, said in a harsh voice when we moved aside and he got his first glimpse.
Picking Edward up like a rag doll, Carlisle moved quickly. Within a second, Evelina and I stood in front of Carlisle and Esme as they tended to him.
"I'm fine," he argued, attempting to sooth Esme's soft sobs. "Just weak and I couldn't see what to do to reattach it with Jacob and Eve standing over me."
"Shh…" Esme said softly, but I could hear the concurrent relief and pain in her voice.
Knowing he was safe, I could focus on the things happening around me, catching them mostly through Leah and Seth's eyes.
Emmett and Rosalie had taken on the three, but his win over two vampires hadn't been enough. They were approaching the area where Jasper and Alice were fighting against several vampires. One pile of twitching body parts already lay at their feet, but I could tell that Jasper had taken on a leader of some sort. It was obvious that the vamp was talented at fighting. Alice was well matched as well, and for a moment I felt bad that we were here, making her gift useless. Leah was not one to be left out, though, and I saw her jump onto the vampire. She and Alice worked in tandem to destroy him. Jasper, however, continued to stalk the other man, with him replying in kind. It reminded me of the dance I'd just had with the werewolf.
I could have told the commanding vamp it was useless and to just give up, because there was no way that Alice would allow anyone to hurt her mate. But Alice stood solemnly, her toe tapping impatiently, giving Jasper the time to play with the man. Emmett and Rosalie came to stand beside her, and I saw Jasper snarl when Emmett went to step in.
Through the pain I heard Edward chuckle, making me want to know Jasper's thoughts.
We were winning I realized. Chelsea, Afton, Corin, Heidi, and Santiago were destroying the last of the ones in Bella and Jane's clutches, and three other werewolves had turned on Stefan and Vladimir, and were attacking the vampires that had used and abused them for so long. Demetri chose that moment to step beside our little group, having come from the area of the gate.
"I went after the ones that ran," he stated simply to us, a satisfied smirk across his face. He looked quickly across the way. "Good, Felix is still grappling with his two. At least we'll be even."
I chuckled…well as much as a wolf chuckles…realizing it was all about the notches in his belt. The ones he wanted to equal Felix's.
With a final tearing sound, the vampire attempting to take on Jasper fell to the ground in pieces.
My mind turned to Seth's thoughts and I saw his joy at the feel of the vampire he was cutting his teeth on. He was playing with his opponent.
Seth! I warned. One bite was all it would take.
Okay, okay! He caved and jumped to wrap his teeth the vamp's neck.
Prancing just a little too proudly, he turned to where the leaders were.
He'd caught glimpses of them as he'd fought his vamp. Aro and Caius had engaged both Stefan and Vladimir in hand to hand. Although all four of them displayed signs of a fight, it was clear which pair was more prepared. I would bet that Stefan and Vladimir had remained lazy while those around them toiled. Not to say that the two weren't deadly, because they were ancient vampires after all, but the Volturi were equally matched in that respect. Bella had told me that when she arrived Aro and Caius' eyes had been milky in color, but I couldn't equate the description with the bright eyed demons I'd found when the Cullens and I had arrived. They'd shaken off the chains of their dormancy.
Stefan and Vladimir crouched against a wall hissing defiantly. Vladimir lunged at Aro, but was sent flying through the air, hitting a stone wall caving it in partially. Aro rose with a look of savage delight on his face, motioning with his hand for Vladimir to challenge him again. He was screwing with the Romanian. He could have won this fight long ago, I realized, but he was saving the two's demises until the end. He wanted them to see their plans, hopes, and dreams reduced to ashes. His delighted laugh, echoing off the walls, made the fur on my back stand up. It was instinctual, what could I say?
Renata was struggling. The faithful shield had stayed with the Volturi, and she and Felix had taken on those that determined to stop them. She was fighting a werewolf, while Felix played with two vampires. He seemed to be enjoying his fight as much as Emmett had. Renata was not.
Marcus had already dispatched one vampire on his journey to get to the one he wanted most. As he stepped to Aro's side, Caius snarled and turned to join Renata, taking on the creature he so despised. The werewolf didn't have a chance. Athenodora and Sulpicia had been at Aro and Caius' backs protecting them, but when they saw that the battle was all but over, they moved stepping toward the group that was quickly surrounding them. Didyme made a dash for where her husband stood.
Then all that was left of the opposing forces was the two vamps that Felix was antagonizing, three frightened werewolves who had taken the risk of choosing our side, Vladimir, and Stefan. Felix realized that he was being observed by the crowd, so he huffed in disgust and quickly captured the two under his arms and squeezed, popping their heads off at the neck. Jane ran into his arms before the bodies hit the ground.
And then the fires began, as the Guard began to heap the twitching fragments of their foes into a great pile and play flame over the macabre mound with hand-held torches.
Bella tore past Evelina and me, falling to her knees before Edward just as Carlisle helped him sit up.
I'd watched the short reunion between Marcus and Didyme. It had been poignant but restrained…for reasons we were all too familiar with. Bella and Edward, however, had no such reservations. She reached forward, lacing her fingers through his hair, and the kiss that occurred should have set the forest around us on fire.
Those around us began laughing softly, enjoying their enthusiasm. Jasper lurched a little his eyes going totally black, and Emmett reached over to steady his brother.
Carlisle grinned unabashedly and smirked at me as he stood saying, "I do so love a happy ending."
I snickered out my agreement.
"Jacob, I have some clothes if you and Evelina would like to get dressed," Alice said from beside me. "I'll leave them just in the castle door. Perhaps the others would like to go change as well," she said motioning to the three werewolves that stood uncertainly amidst us.
I saw Caius turn sharply toward us, his eyes narrowing as he took in Evelina and the others. Shit. This could be a problem. I knew how he felt. I was afraid my welcome was going to be worn out. Loyalty was loyalty, and the werewolves had given the vamps that. I was going to be vocal about this, and there was no way he was touching her. The moment of respite I'd felt, knowing the battle was over and that we were all safe, immediately vanished.
Caius began to step toward us, but Aro stayed him with a hand to his arm. He directed us quickly as he continued to stare at the two men they had caged against the wall. "Do hurry, Jacob Black. We will wait for you and your new friends."
Edward POV
Carlisle moved my leg back into place, and I hissed at the burn. Esme leaned over me, her golden eyes glazed with sorrow. Her gaze was fixed upon my brutalized chest, and her hand gently smoothed over the scars displayed by my torn shirt.
"I'm fine," I told her. "Just weak and I couldn't see what to do to reattach it with Jacob and Eve standing over me."
I was speaking of my leg. The vampire I'd destroyed had nearly torn it off, getting a final bit of vengeance on me while I struggled with the attacking werewolf. I'd thrown the wolf far enough away to give me the opportunity to take care of my attacker before the wolf returned. It had felt almost claustrophobic to be under Evelina and Jacob afterward, and I'd had to battle against the natural instinct that screamed my vulnerability as I lay under two wolves in such a manner.
"Shh…" Esme murmured in response to my statement. I'll take care of you…Bella and I will, she added further.
Edward, is my assessment of Jacob and Evelina accurate? Carlisle asked.
I grinned, giving him his answer as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders to lift me.
Splendid, was his happy answer.
And then Bella was running for me. The fight was winding down, the cries of the enemy slowly dying, and I could enjoy touching her without worry. I'd all but cried out in happiness when I'd seen her standing on the parapet like an avenging goddess, the wind from the canyon below swirling her long hair around her.
She fell to her knees before me and threaded her fingers through my hair as our lips came together. I as surrounded by her scent and pleasure coursed through me, followed closely by raging lust. I wanted her right here, right now. I could hear Jasper grappling with the effects of what had sparked between us, but I couldn't care less. I had been through Hell, and had found my Heaven once again.
Bella's lips were questing desperately against mine. I opened to her and the taste of her venom exploded across my tongue. Heedless of anything else, I dragged her to me, feeling an overpowering animal need to be inside her, even though the best I could hope for at this moment was that I could at least feel her on me. All rational thought fled as her shield enveloped me, cutting out everything…everyone but us. Peace, blissful peace. As I cinched my hands in her hair and plundered her mouth, feasting on the essence that was her, we silently communicated.
I thought I would die when I knew you'd been taken. For a moment, I thought I'd lost you and the blackness threatened to destroy me.
My Love, the only thing that kept me hanging on was the thought that you were waiting for me…that you would come for me.
Alice's visions… Horrific images of her interpretations of what had happened to me ran through her mind. Alice had been a little too forthright with our communication. I'd not wanted Bella to know.
Shush! I'm fine.
NO! YOU'RE! NOT! I want to kiss every mark they left on you, to take away the pain.
You are, Love, you are. Just the feel of you in my arms is enough.
I want you, Edward. I want to feel you take me and make me scream your name. Only then will it seem real. I want you to myself for a week…no, a month…shit, a year. Make nice with your family quickly, because we are going somewhere far away.
The visual of us entwined and her head thrown back in passion as she cried out my name made me snarl, and I broke from her lips to nip quickly down her neck, skimming over a strange rawhide string, and back to her lips. I turned putting her under me, so that I could place our bodies flush against each other.
Yes, like that. She moaned, moving against me. She then froze. Your leg! Don't hurt it.
Other parts of me are aching much more right now, my Love.
Her hands clinched even harder in my hair at my implication, and the pain was an aphrodisiac. After the last few weeks, I believed my tolerance had built so, that I was ready for her to even be a little more forceful with me.
Can't take it, I have to taste you, she said, shooting a particularly vivid image of her lips traversing my body and surrounding me.
Need filled me, clawing at my insides and raging to be let loose. The monster inside me rose, sensing the presence of his mate. Only one day…we'd had only one day. Eternity couldn't be enough. Eternity to kiss her, to see the sun kiss her skin and see it shimmer. Like diamonds, she'd once said. She'd been so funny then. The humor began to build in me, and I felt it in her as well. I looked into her mind, wondering if she was envisioning the same thing as me. I couldn't help myself, breaking away from her lips to let the laughter that had built inside me out. Then, I realized it for what it was.
Damn Jasper!
I looked up to find him kneeling beside me grinning like a buffoon.
"Um…little brother, you were about to give us all a show," he said softly.
I looked down with startled eyes to see that in my lust I'd begun to undress Bella. Lust induced haze clouded over her eyes as well, and I saw that she had been totally cooperative with my actions. She was sprawled in wild abandon below me. It was then that I recognized the stone beneath her. Oh Dear God! I'd been about to take Bella in the courtyard…in front of everyone. I dropped my forehead to hers, and then real laughter overtook us both.
She slipped her fingers softly through my hair then, scratching her nails across my scalp.
"Later," she whispered a husky promise.
"Most definitely," I retorted, breathing in deep breaths to help calm myself. It wasn't helping much because I was saturating my senses with her scent…her aroused scent.
She smiled gloriously at me, and I returned the look, pulling back only far enough to run my fingertips along her cheekbones. Her face was perfection, and I couldn't help but lower my lips to hers again.
A boot nudged my side.
"Damnit, Jasper! Okay!"
"Just making sure; you seemed to be getting distracted again."
A chorus of laughter came from all around us, and I sat up, pulling Bella with me and turned to face the Volturi and my family. Esme and Carlisle drew my attention. They stood just a few feet from us, and she was staring directly up into his face a look of happiness infusing her features. He smirked down at her, happy to be seeing Bella and me acting like a newly mated couple.
I wanted to shout to them all – that was exactly what we were!
But, perhaps the courtyard of a castle surrounded by burning bodies and our comrades wasn't the appropriate place for us to become reacquainted in quite that fashion.
"Wait!" Bella said softly, capturing my attention as I started to rise. She pulled the string from around her neck and I saw the pouch that hung from it. She quickly pulled my savaged ring finger from the bag and captured my left hand.
I saw that she'd never removed the ring from it. I thought Carlisle would step in, but he didn't. Bella fumbled nervously, but I felt the sting when she was able to place the finger in the right position for it to reattach. I watched her face, instead of her actions. I wanted to memorize the moment she gave me my ring back. Miraculously, it meant more to me now. Her gaze was intense, and loving…and perfect. I still hissed as the fire spread through my hand, but ignoring the angry red gash that was healing before our eyes, I used my other hand to run my fingertips across the wide band. The Fleur-de-lis and the swans swam before my eyes.
I lost my man card at that point and let out a sob.
"I love you," Bella said to me softly, dragging me into her arms. Three little words that meant everything.
"I love you," I said simply, unable to express anything further. We rocked back and forth gently comforting each other, my hands stroking through her thick hair.
The others gave us a few moments, much as they'd done Marcus and Didyme. Finally, Bella blurred to her feet and helped me stand. I tentatively placed weight on my leg; it still hurt, but it was healing. Carlisle watched me closely, and I nodded my head letting him know that I was fine.
I was starving, but I was alive. I was going to have to go hunting and soon. I'd quickly drained all my reserves in the fight, and was already weakening from lack of blood when the vampire and werewolf attacked. I was lucky that all they'd been able to get to was my leg; I would have been toast if I hadn't been able to hear their every thought. Honestly, my motivation to throw everything I had into the last ditch effort had been simple; I'd been envisioning the pain of the werewolf's blood again. I could have handled a bite and the sickness it would bring, but everything within me shied away from getting any open wound on my body near any of the blood that I knew ran across the courtyard.
I looked from my mother and father to see everyone's eyes fixed on me.
How do you say thank you to the individuals who saved your life?
I knew this wasn't the time, as they were all amused at my lack of decorum with my bride, but it would need to come soon. All I could do was grin at them. My smile was all that my family needed. Alice and Rosalie blurred to us, wrapping their arms around Bella and me, while Jasper and Emmett came to our side. They managed manly pats on my shoulders while the girls gushed. I soaked up their affection, knowing that I'd never take it for granted again.
Never.
As my sisters stepped back, Jacob's thoughts came through clear just at that moment, and I smirked, putting my lips to Bella's ear. "Jacob just got a good look at Evelina in human form. He is quite taken," I managed to say softly, eliciting more chuckles around me and an excited smile from Bella.
Of course, everyone heard me, and we all turned as Jacob, Seth, and Leah came back into sight. Evelina walked just to Jacob's side, but she was incredibly puzzled about what was going on and her attraction to him. They were a stunning couple…the contrast of dark and light. I was also interested in finding out the story of Seth and Leah. I'd heard Jacob reference them by name during his thoughts and their conversations. Why had two more of the Quileute's come to Volterra, much less fought for me? It was a puzzle I'd have to solve later.
The three other werewolves, one female and two males, walked just behind them. I wasn't going to allow Caius to destroy them, not when they had fought by our side. Aro's thoughts mirrored mine, so I had a little hope. We'd let Bella loose on her "Uncle Caius" and see how long he lasted. I wasn't stupid though, we had a long argument in front of us.
I was actually honored when Jake tore his eyes from Evelina long enough to search me out. He jogged over to grab me up into his arms.
"Jacob…" I said, my voice coming out suspiciously like another sob. I patted his back in an awkward manner.
"Don't do that to me again!" he said gruffly. "I thought I was going to have to rough Bella up to get her to cooperate."
He squeezed me tightly as he let me see the all but dead Bella that he'd found kneeling on the floor of the Volturi chamber. He was all that held me together, as I wanted to shatter at the look on her face, not to mention those of my family.
She was dead without you, until she figured out that you were still alive. She wouldn't give up, he repeated words similar to what I'd heard from Aro when they were still down in the canyon.
I nodded sharply letting him know I understood.
He stepped back and then held his hand up to indicate the girl and boy beside him. "Edward, this is Leah and Seth Clearwater, Harry's kids."
"Hello," I said softly, unsure of what else to say.
I was amused at Seth's thoughts. Leah's were tinged with sadness, and I wondered about her story. My ponderings were cut short though as Evelina stepped in front of me.
"I think you have some explaining to do," she said emphatically, glaring at me with her blue eyes.
Aro spoke from across the courtyard cutting my response off. "We will sort all the details out in due time, for now I believe that there are other things that warrant our attention."
He was calling us back into line. My eyes were drawn to the two that still stood defiantly against us. You had to give it to Stefan and Vladimir. Pinned on their knees by Felix and Demetri, they were still going down spitting as much venom as they could. Marcus had not moved since arriving beside Aro. He wanted to destroy them both with his bare hands, believing that it was his due for what had been done to Didyme. Her solemn face stood out just behind Marcus. Sulpicia and Athenodora embraced her from both sides, comforting her.
"Bella, help me," I requested and then proceeded to lean on her as we made our way to Aro's side.
I smiled at Didyme's curious face, earning a small hopeful expression from her before I held my hand out to her brother. Aro barely flinched when I put my hand in his.
"Why do you even need to touch him," Stefan spat out. "You've already robbed us of our memories."
Aro ignored him while he looked through my experiences of the last few weeks.
"Well done, Edward. Well done, indeed," he said simply. Silently he added, My deepest and humblest apologies. I am forever indebted to you; I am aware of that. We will speak later without the others around. You can bargain with me for an appropriate reward later.
He was reminding me of his rebuttal when I'd tried to manipulate him before. I'd won then, so I needed to consider what I was going to propose now. He released me and then grinned maliciously at Stefan and Vladimir. "For millennia, you have plagued us. You stole someone precious and tortured us all."
Stefan and Vladimir both hissed at him.
"Hypocrite! You planned to destroy her before we took her. We saved her life…the one you were willing to sacrifice. Do not lay blame where it does not belong, Aro," Stefan said, sneering.
"I did. I will live another millennia making amends to Didyme, and even that will not be enough. I misjudged her loyalty to us…to me. In time, I hope that she will forgive me."
She already had, but Aro was going to have to realize that for himself.
"However, I find it deliciously ironic that the next loved one that you intended to use against us played you so masterfully instead.
I wasn't so sure of the masterful part. Was attempting to stay alive part of playing someone masterfully?
"You see, he heard your every thought…every thought of every vampire and every werewolf within your castle. Using his knowledge, he was able to send that information back to us so that we could time our attack when your forces were divided. Even now, your forces outside Kiev are being monitored. I'm certain that once your gifted one was destroyed, the werewolves there abandoned your vampires. Edward could have run, but instead, he chose to remain and submit to the torture you inflicted on him, all to protect Didyme, and to gather the intelligence we needed to destroy you in one fell swoop. I should thank you both, really. I couldn't have arranged this more skillfully if I'd tried."
I heard Didyme's short gasp. She realized that I'd seen everything, and she was horrified to know that Aro knew now just how prolific her degradation had been.
He tapped his finger against his lips as if he was contemplating something. "My son-in-law will need a great amount of time away from us, I imagine. Your kidnapping interrupted what was supposed to be a short trip before he returned to his honeymoon."
Now it was Evelina's and the other werewolves' turns to gasp in surprise. They hadn't known my relationship to Aro.
"I fear I'll be paying some huge exorbitant cost to set Isabella and Edward up in a remote chateau or a private island for the next few months, but I'm sure it will be worth it."
Bella snickered and said under her breath, "Damn right."
Aro attempted to keep his lips from quirking at her impertinence, but he was only moderately successful.
"You see, I've already promised my brother that he and Didyme will have the Chateau for their reunion. Decisions, decisions. I am grateful that I have only those to make. Marcus will have the most difficult decision of all it seems…which one of you to destroy first. Marcus…" Aro shrugged lazily, draping his hand out in invitation. He was indicating that the two were all Marcus' to deal with.
I couldn't believe he was going to give Marcus all the pleasure…but then again I could. It was just one of the ways that Aro would attempt to rectify his wrongs. It was Marcus' right as Didyme's mate to seek retribution.
Even facing certain death, the Romanians' vitriol knew no bounds.
""I enjoyed her very much Marcus. She is quite feisty," Vladimir slurred out.
Marcus smiled in response, although it didn't reach his eyes, and I wasn't surprised to hear his thoughts just before he spoke them.
"She is, isn't she?" He glanced back to Didyme and smiled gently at her. This time the smile did reach his eyes. "She is all I ever wanted or needed."
He was making a point to her by staying calm and not allowing Vladimir's taunts to enrage him…letting her know that what had occurred deserved serious consideration, but that he wasn't going to allow it to rule their lives. It was well played.
He then turned to me. "Edward, I know that you shared the secrets of this castle with my brother, but I would particularly like to know about this Iron Maiden that Alice saw you in," he said quietly.
He was screwing with them, but I knew that Aro was not. Those devices were going back with us. He wanted to study them. He could care less if we carried one of the Romanians home in it to observe or not. In fact, his preference was for one of them to go.
"How long can a vampire last in that contraption before he or she goes insane from hunger?"
"The longest was a year," Evelina volunteered over the space of the courtyard. "It was gruesome," she shuddered out. "She went insane from thirst and shredded herself on the teeth. She screamed in agony for days."
Jacob turned to his imprint and grinned, totally enthralled with her blood thirsty addition. She blushed a bright red at his perusal, reminding me of Bella.
Miraculously, Marcus managed to not show any appreciation for her suggestion, but inside the thought filled him with immense pleasure. He was really done with them. He didn't need a prolonged torture; he just wanted them gone so that he and Didyme could leave this place. He was imagining his reunion with her…he couldn't get his mind off her. I could relate. My thoughts were wrapped around Bella and what I wanted to do to her as soon as we were able to secure some privacy.
Vladimir answered Marcus' dilemma for him, twisting out of Demetri's grasp and lunging at the ancient vampire. A thousand years of agony, hatred, and loneliness funneled into Marcus' reaction. His face transformed into one of an avenging angel when they collided, the sound of stone crashing against stone filling the air.
I went to shout Felix's name, seeing Stefan's intent to jump into the fracas in his thoughts, but Jane leveled Stefan before he could even twitch in Felix's arms. The gaze he exchanged with her was equal parts irritation and affection, and I could see the growing strength of their connection in their thoughts.
Stefan screamed like the poor vampire they'd tortured. He twisted in agony on the ground, while Marcus immobilized Vladimir in a hold. I saw the decision he made. It was actually poetic justice.
"Jane, my dear, release Stefan."
"Master," she replied, and Stefan's hoarse cries ended immediately. Felix knocked his legs from under him and pinned him to the ground.
I well remembered the pain she could cause and shuddered delicately at Aro's side. Aro turned to look at me, and I placed my hand on his arm so that he could see. A perverse smile spread across his face and several of his own guard members stepped away from him in fear.
"For so long, the two of you bound those around you and made them suffer through unspeakable horrors and pain. It only makes sense that your demise would come in the manner you inflicted on others." Marcus paused and then looked back to Jane. "My dear, your services," he nodded toward Vladimir.
Vladimir howled in agony and began thrashing hopelessly against Marcus. As Marcus carried his struggling form toward one of the raging fires, I called out Alice's name. She realized what was about to happen and pulled Jasper to her, wrapping him up in her arms. Esme followed, wrapping her arms around him as well. My brother stood stoically at the head of the assembled army, but I knew Vladimir's pain and terror would be echoing through him. Only the love of his mate and his family could deflect it.
Marcus casually tossed Vladimir's thrashing body into the roaring flames. Vladimir's shrieks echoed down the canyon and throughout the woods. It was an unnatural sound and carried on the wind. A mile or so away, some of the werewolves that Alec had released lingered to see which way the battle went hastened even more in their attempts to get away. As soon as they'd determined that the Volturi were winning, they'd scampered. The sounds of agony only spurred them to run quicker.
Immobilized by Jane's pain, Vladimir was literally incapable of escaping the agony of the flames that were eating him alive. It was the pain of the change materialized. How symbolic. It was how we were formed, and it would be how they were destroyed.
"Perhaps the fires of this Inferno will help to cleanse your perverse soul," Marcus muttered, drawing on visions of Dante's Inferno.
Vladimir's stone-like body began to bubble and hiss before purple smoke began boiling off him in waves. Through the greedy flames, I caught sight of his face. His mouth was open in a silent scream of torture.
When Marcus turned to Stefan, the Romanian vampire went crazy attempting to break free. Marcus narrowed his eyes at the man who'd abused his wife. A loud popping noise, like that of a stone that splinters from intense heat resonated from the fire behind him. A hoarse hiss rose above the happy crackling of the flames. Vladimir would stay in the fire for many more torturous minutes before his body finally gave way.
"Jane?
Stefan struggles morphed into agonized convulsions as Jane returned her focus to the last Romanian. Marcus wasted no time, repeating the process he'd taken with Vladimir, and unceremoniously threw Stefan upon the still twitching body of his companion. Stefan's misery was even more potent than Vladimir's, filling the air around us with demonic moans and wails. Jane's eerie gaze remained on him the entire time.
Many stood quietly, uncertain of how to feel. Marcus was known for his subdued and quiet nature. What he'd done…while perfectly understandable… was diabolical, and reminded them that he was one of the Volturi leaders. A being who'd helped build an empire and survived a thousand years of the most excruciating agony known to our kind. This shadow of a vampire had come roaring back in force to claim his rightful place at the side of his formidable brothers.
With varying degrees of satisfaction, we all watched the bodies roast and finally fall to pieces before they disintegrated into dust.
Jasper and I had both suffered during Stefan and Vladimir's torture, he from the pain that rolled off them before the flames finally terminated their existences and me from their thoughts. But, in the end, it was worth it.
It was over. We were free.
Please let me know what you think in the way of a review. By the way, I read them all – I'm just behind on responding. I figured you'd rather me be writing…
In the infamous words of Izzy…on to the smexing.
I could not do this without a wonderful beta:
Crmcneill – Thanks for putting up with me, and my less than stellar comma skills. I've learned what screaming looks like over a PM. Trust me the man can scream.
I've decided to let you know some of the battles I face in getting through the whole betaing process – I need your support - smirk. Our battle for this chapter…I wanted the Alpha in Jacob to rise. And…although it was a nice paragraph…Charles the slasher struck. Not canon…blah…blah…blah.
Send me a review and let now you want to read what I wrote…I'll send it to you. Don't expect a masterpiece; it's only a few lines.